CVE-2025-53101
📋 TL;DR
A stack overflow vulnerability in ImageMagick's mogrify command allows attackers to crash the application or potentially execute arbitrary code by providing malicious filename templates with multiple consecutive %d format specifiers. This affects all systems running vulnerable versions of ImageMagick that process untrusted image files. The vulnerability is triggered when processing specially crafted filenames through the mogrify command.
💻 Affected Systems
- ImageMagick
📦 What is this software?
Imagemagick by Imagemagick
Imagemagick by Imagemagick
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Remote code execution leading to complete system compromise if the stack overflow can be controlled to execute arbitrary code.
Likely Case
Application crash (denial of service) when processing malicious filenames, potentially disrupting image processing services.
If Mitigated
Limited to denial of service if exploit attempts are detected and blocked, or if memory protections prevent code execution.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires crafting specific filename templates and likely local access or ability to control input to mogrify command.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: ImageMagick 7.1.2-0 and 6.9.13-26
Vendor Advisory: https://github.com/ImageMagick/ImageMagick/security/advisories/GHSA-qh3h-j545-h8c9
Restart Required: No
Instructions:
1. Update ImageMagick to version 7.1.2-0 or 6.9.13-26 or later. 2. For package managers: 'sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade imagemagick' (Debian/Ubuntu) or 'sudo yum update imagemagick' (RHEL/CentOS). 3. For source builds: Download latest release from imagemagick.org and recompile.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Restrict mogrify command usage
allLimit or disable use of mogrify command with user-controlled filename templates
# Use application whitelisting to restrict mogrify execution
# Implement input validation to reject filenames with multiple %d specifiers
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict input validation to reject filename templates with multiple consecutive %d format specifiers
- Sandbox ImageMagick processes to limit potential damage from exploitation attempts
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check ImageMagick version with 'convert --version' or 'mogrify --version' and compare against vulnerable versionsCheck Version:
convert --version | head -1Verify Fix Applied:
Verify version is 7.1.2-0 or higher (for version 7) or 6.9.13-26 or higher (for version 6)📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Application crashes of ImageMagick processes
- Error logs containing stack overflow or segmentation fault messages
Network Indicators:
- Unusual file upload patterns with complex filenames to image processing endpoints
SIEM Query:
source="*imagemagick*" AND ("segmentation fault" OR "stack overflow" OR "mogrify crash")🔗 References
- https://github.com/ImageMagick/ImageMagick/commit/66dc8f51c11b0ae1f1cdeacd381c3e9a4de69774
- https://github.com/ImageMagick/ImageMagick/security/advisories/GHSA-qh3h-j545-h8c9
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2025/09/msg00012.html
- https://github.com/ImageMagick/ImageMagick/security/advisories/GHSA-qh3h-j545-h8c9
